How to Compare Apartments – Apartment Comparison Checklist

Finding a suitable apartment is not a walk in the park. It takes a lot of time and energy to finally set in the apartment which features your favorite location and amenities. However, the even bigger question is if the available features of the apartment are worth the rent? How would you know what is a reasonable price against the facilitations you are enjoying. Therefore, if you are starting the apartment search you need to dig deep to do the comparative analysis of different apartments.

As most people do not have an effective and systematic strategy for comparing apartments, you are likely to know each detail by the end of this article.

1. Terms of the Lease Agreement:

The lease terms vary from state to state and city to city. You shall consider lease terms when comparing apartments. One of the most important concerns is how much does it cost you in the long run?

Reminder: Rent isn’t the only monthly expense associated with your apartment rather there could be some other bills that you would have to pay.

For Example:

• Utility bills that are not included in rent
• Late rent submission fee
• Payments such as parking space
• Fees against certain amenities

In addition to these costs, you have to pay some other payments when striking a deal. For example:

• Security fee
• Application fee
• Pet fee is not refundable

When doing the comparison study, take into consideration if the apartment lease terms agree with your lifestyle.  Pets are allowed in the building or not? How long is your purposed plan to stay? In case of eviction, is the procedure compatible with your plan? Guests stay allowed or not if you are a social person?

2. Impact of Neighborhood:

Take into account how the following neighborhood features might affect you:

• Public transportation within walking distance
• Nearby shopping and entertainment spaces
• If your workplace is easily reachable. You shall consider the minimum effort in things you will be doing daily. This feature is worth trading off for some other facilities

3. Safety Protocols:

When you are comparing apartments, you shall never underestimate the importance of safety protocols. Some Safety Features may Include:

• If fire extinguishers are installed in your unit and outside buildings locks on doors are proper
• Smoke detectors are functional
• Enough lighting
• Secure and gated entrance
• Emergency exit and clear instructions of an emergency plan

4. Available Apartment Amenities:

Amenities make a huge impact on how costly the apartment is going to be for you. You shall consider the amenities which you cannot afford to live without.

For Example:

• Pools
• Tennis Courts
• Concierge Services
• Laundry Services or Laundry Facilities
• Gym in the Building
• Health Club
• Barbeque Areas
• Doorman
• Wi-Fi
• In Unit Laundry
• Centrally Conditioned

5. Other Apartment Features:

You are likely to spend most of the time inside your apartment. Therefore it is necessary that the environment inside matches your aesthetics. Look for a detailed examination when you’re comparing different apartments such as the following:

• Available space in the footage
• Space outdoor e.g. roof deck
• The number of bedrooms and bathrooms
• Flooring up to your requirement
• Is lighting enough in the apartment?
• The heating system is proper
• Water pressure

Some Pro Tips for Apartment Comparison:

By now, you know well what are the things which are going to create a difference in the comparison of different apartments. Now is the time to know how to use that information.

First thing first, get to know what you want and what you need. You might be tempted by some features but do they fall in the rent bracket you are looking for? There will be certain luxuries in the offer but you might not afford them or not need them. You shall look for the things you need, at first.

• Consider your Priorities:

Now is the time to see what you can trade off against what? What is the essential feature that comes on the top of your checklist when looking for an apartment? For example, Being close to work, having a gym in the building, and access to public transportation?

Make the list for all these things in order of priority and if you already have the list then you can make the comparison among different apartments. You just need to consult your list of priorities.

• Location:

Location is another prime factor you can draw a comparison on. When you have figured out your needs and have made the priority list of them then consider the location you want for your future apartment.

You can do this exercise on paper by drawing certain columns and rows and filling in information where the criteria are met. When you are done with this exercise you will have clear-cut options for the apartments.

• Ready for the Decision:

If you have had the experience of searching for an apartment before you will have a fair idea of how tough the campaign is. And if you are looking for the first time then know it before that it’s not always easy to compare two apartments.

Therefore, mapping out your loan with clear-cut priorities is likely t make your job a bit smooth. The above-given option will help you a great deal when comparing the apartment.

Final Words:

Drawing the comparison among different apartments asks for detailed information and a clear strategy. Therefore, we have laid down an effective and systematic strategy for comparing apartments to assist you in your search.